Toy blackboard



H. M. FANCHER 'roY BLAGKBOARD Oct. 17, 1933.

Filed Aug. 16. 19::

11v VENTOR Ewan/117mb:-

4215 A TTORNE Y Patented Oct. 17, 1933 UNITED {STATES PATENT "OFFICE This invention relates to toy blackboardsand' has for its object the provision of a simple, relatively inexpensive .toy blackboard suitable for use by children, of neat and attractive appearance, which can be collapsed into a compact package or erected readily into a condition suitable for use.

To these and other ends the invention resides in' certain improvements and combinations of I parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed outin the claims at the end ofthe specification.

In the drawing: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a blackboard constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, showing it erected in or the like indicated at 10; 7

position for use;

Fig. 2 is a sideeievation of the blackboard in the same position shown in Fig. 1; V Fig. 3 is a side view of the blackboard in collapsedposition; and v Fig. 4 is a section through the chalk holding container and abutment means of the black-- board.

The same reference numerals throughout the several views indicate the same parts.

The blackboard of the present invention con one edge of which is hingedly connected a supporting portion 2 adapted, when the blackboard i the member 2 so that it may be folded back against the member 2 and will not interfere with folding themembers 2'and 3 togeth'erdown onto is erected as in Figs. 1 and 2,.to extend obliquely upwardly from its hinge connection, as shown. A writing portion 3 is hingedly connected to the supporting portion 2 and, when erected, extends obliquely downwardly as shown in Figs. 1 and 2,

with the lower edge of the portion 3 resting upon the base portion 1 at a pointmaterially spaced from the hinge connection between the portion 1 and the portion 2.

A chalk-taking surface, preferably of a black background so that white chalk will show readily thereon, is provided on one or both sides-of some or all of the above mentioned portions.

Such a chalk-taking surfaceon the front side' 'c'reased and bent at the desired points.

this lower edge from sliding along the base 1 and to hold the parts in erected position, as willbe plainly apparent from Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawin g. This chalk holding means and abutment 7 "may be constructed in any suitable manner to serve its intended two-fold purpose, but preferably is in the form (its. slide 8 within an outer covering or tube '7, as shown in Fig. 4. This tube portion '7 is open at both front and back, and the childs fingers may be pressed against the to' push the slide rearwardly sothat the rear edge thereof is projected outwardly from the envelcping tube, enabling a flap 9 on the slide to be opened up to obtain access to sticks of chalk The members 1, 2, and 3 arepreferably all constructed from a single strip of suitable Inaterial which is relatively rigid but which may be For "theblackboard is in erected position, to prevent 1 example, corrugated fiberboard of the type having smooth flat sheets on each side, is admirable for this purpose and is the preferred material from which the portions 1, 2, and 3 are made. The abutment vmeans and chalk container may be made of any suitable cardboard or fiberboard,

suitably secured by glueing, stapling, or other means to the base portion 1. e

The member 3 is made slightly shorter than the base 1, as indicated in Fig. 3.- The distance from the rear edge of the base portion 1 .to the rear edge of the chalk holder and abutment means 7, is preferably substantially equal to the length of the supporting portion 2, so that when the latter is folded'down it will substantially fill the space from the rear edge of the baseportion 1 to the chalk container '7, as plainly indicated in yFig. 3; This makes a neatand compact package when the parts are thusfolded to collapsed position. It is also advantageous to make the member 7 of a height substantially equal to the combined thickness of the members 2 and 3 when Another advantage of this construction is that.

when the parts are collapsed as in Fig. 3, the edges of the members 2 and 3 lock the chalk holding means in closed position and prevent the slide member 8 from being accidentally pushed rear- Wardly to open position.

Merely for convenience of description, the portion 2 has been referred to as a supporting portion, and the portion 3 has been referred. to as a writing portion, but it will be understood that the child or other user of the device may write .upon any desired portion of the structure and writing is not necessarily confined. to the portion H 3, although ordinarily the front side of the portion 3 is in the most convenient position for Writing, when the structure is held on. the childs lap,

for examplev While one embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it is to be understood that the in-- ventive idea may be carried out in a number, ofv

ways. This application is therefore notto be limited to the precise details described, but is intended to cover all variations and modifications thereof falling within the spirit of the inventionorthe scope ofthe appended claims.

a part secured to said base portion and acting as an abutment for holding said writing portion against movement in one direction along said base portion.

2. A collapsible toy blackboard comprising a base portion, a supporting portion hingedly connected to said base portion and adapted, when in erected position, to extend obliquely upwardly from its connection with said base portion, a writing portion hingedly connected to said supporting portion and adapted, when in erected position, to extend obliquely downwardly from its connection with said supporting portion and to rest upon said base portion at a point materially spaced from the connection of said supporting portion to said base portion, a chalk-taking writing surface on at least one of said portions, and abutment means on said base portion against which said writing portion may thrust when in normal erected position, to limit movement of said writing portion in one direction along said base, said writing portion being capable of being folded against said supporting portion and said supporting portion and writing portion together being capable of being folded down substantially flat onto said base portion with the writing portion beneath and the supporting portion on top to form a compact collapsed package.

3. A construction'according to claim 2 in which said base portion, supportingportion, and writing portion are all made from a single strip of relatively stiff materialcapable of being folded.

4. A construction according to claim 2 in which said base portion, supporting portion, and writing portion are all made from a single strip of corrugated fiberboard.

5. A collapsible toy blackboard comprising a base portion, a supporting portion hinged to the base portion, a writing portion hinged to said supporting portion, said supporting and writing portions being adapted. to be doubled upon themselves andv folded down substantially flat against said base portion with the writing portion next to the base portion and the supporting portion above the writing portion when said blackboard is collapsed, and to be erected into an inverted V- shaped structure rising from said base portion when said blackboard is erected, a chalk-taking writing surface on at least one of said portions, and combined chalk holding means andabutment means mounted on said base portion and acting as an abutment against which said writing portion may thrust to hold said inverted V-shaped structure in erected position, said combined chalk holding means and abutment means being spaced from the hinge connection of said supporting portion tosaid base portion through a distance substantially equal to the length of said supporting portion and being of a height substantially equal to the combined thickness'of said supporting portion and writing portion, so that when said supporting portion and writing portion are folded down against said base portion, the joined ends of said supporting portion and writing portion will lie closely adjacent said means and the top of said means will be substantially flush with the top surface of said supporting portion.

6. A collapsible toy blackboard comprising a base, a first portion hingedly, connected at one edge to one edge of the base, a second portion hingedly connected at one edge to .the opposite edge of the first portion, a chalk-taking writing surface on at least one of. said portions, said first and second portions being erectable into an upstanding inverted V-shaped structure with a free edge of said second portion resting loosely on said base and being collapsible into a relatively flat structure with said first and second portions lying fiat on said base, and combined chalk holding and abutment means mounted on said base and serving to hold said free edge of said second portion against movement along said base in one direction when the portions are in erected position, said means comprising a tubular wrapper secured to said base and a slide member movable within said'wrapper and capable of being projected from said wrapper to obtain/access to chalk within said slide member, said first and second portions, when collapsed lying hat on said base, serving to lock saidv slide member against being projected from said wrapper.

' HOWARD M.

FANCHER. 

